


Murder on the Han Xin

by SelkiePrime



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Andorian OC, Canon Typical Violence, Data POV, Data is my BOY and I give him emotions if I WANT, F/M, Gen, Inspired by Murder on the Orient Express and some Sherlock Holmes, Murder Mystery, Non-binary character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28205490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelkiePrime/pseuds/SelkiePrime
Summary: Data decides to take the scenic route back to the Enterprise after attending an engineering symposium. The Han Xin is the height of luxury and promises to be a new experience for the android. But when a body is found and accusations made, Data must take up the mantle of amateur detective and use his experience and unique insight to find the killer. Is this is a simple act of revenge or the result of something far more sinister?
Kudos: 1





	Murder on the Han Xin

Data had often observed humans twiddling their thumbs whilst bored, or perhaps while waiting for something, such as a meal or for a meeting to start. Humans often could not contend with waiting for longer than was considered "necessary". But even Data could understand this impatience as he waited for the shuttle _Han Xin_ to depart.

He recognized a few of the passengers from the engineering symposium he'd attended. Though Data was equipped with more information on engineering than his friend Geordi could have ever fathomed, he had found that seeing that information through the eyes of humans often let him communicate more freely with Geordi, and to strengthen the bond they shared. Perhaps, if Data were so inclined, he might joke that it had been not a symposium on engineering but on friendship. He wondered if Geordi would consider that funny and filed it away to try on his best friend later.

Perhaps he would also ask about thumbs.

There were plenty of other passengers that he did not recognize as they waited; the shuttle was top of the line, made up of several large compartments filled with either seating, beds for long term passengers, or areas for food or storage. The shuttle had the capacity for warp travel, but Data had chosen it because it was considered a luxury, meant to emulate trains on Earth or such similar things, and thus traveled slowly to its next destination. The seats were set up with two sets facing one another, covered in thick cushions, and with enough room between them that even with his long legs spread out, Data could not touch the other seats ahead of him. Somehow they had managed to mimic the comfort of train compartments while still allowing passengers to see the entire room, with thick glass that was so clear it was barely noticeable. 

"Do you think we'll leave soon?" asked the woman who sat next to him, in the window seat. She hadn't said anything in the thirty minutes they had been waiting. "I wonder if there's a problem."

"I am not sure," he answered, truthful, "although I would assume if there was trouble they would have announced it."

"That's a lot of faith in bureaucracy you've got there," she said. Data looked over at the woman. She seemed to be in her 30s, with black hair that was tinged with gray, and dark skin. She was dressed formally, in a fashion that Data considered similar to a sari from Earth, in a rich red and gold. A long sleeve covered her right arm and her right hand was gloved, while the left was bare up to the shoulder, tattooed with black concentric rings that began where her arm met her neck.

There was nothing that suggested she was not human. Something about her reminded Data of Counselor Troi, though it may have just been her very dark eyes and pretty face.

As Data observed her, she caught the attention of a man staring over the seats as he made his way up the aisles, and her face soured. The man returned the expression in kind. But then the woman turned to Data and the moment passed.

"I'm Celeste, by the way," she told him.

"Data," said Data. 

"You're an... android, right?" she asked. 

"Correct."

"Fantastic. I'll keep that in mind." 

She winked at Data. Why, he had no idea.

-

It was a relief when the _Han Xin_ left the landing zone. The hum of the engines calmed much of the nervous energy in its passengers. Many relaxed and struck up conversation with the people next to them. 

"I wonder what kept them," said Celeste. She had been quiet ever since they had been introduced. In the interim, an Andorian and a human had joined them. Data often enjoyed "people watching" as Guinan put it, so he observed them as unobtrusively as possible. The Andorian had introduced themselves with non-binary pronouns, was a Bish'ee, and was an artist.

The human was jumpy. His eyes swung between Data, Celeste, and the Andorian, with whom he was friends. Data recognized the man from the symposium but had not spoken with him before.

"Are you ok?" Celeste asked.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. Not a big fan of... traveling. Space. You get me?" he asked. He shook his head as though to rid a buzzing fly from his ear. "I'm Temp. This is Maalkia." He gestured at the Andorian. "They're way better at this than I am." He laughed nervously.

Data introduced himself. Celeste followed.

"Doctor Temperance Yue," Data said with a nod. "I recognize you from the conference on the history of nuclear fission and its applications in early Starfleet engineering."

"Right, right," said the man. Maalkia grabbed his hand and smiled. 

"Do you know why we took so long to take off?" Temp asked the group. His Andorian friend holding him helped to steady his nerves if Data was correct in his assessment of the man's emotions. 

"We haven't heard anything," said Celeste. "Maybe it was a stowaway. I hear these big ships get them all the time. People who aren't supposed to be traveling trying to blend in with the crowds. Real sneaky folks." 

Her attitude, Data observed, was different now that they were no longer the only two in the seat compartment. Cocky, maybe, not the quiet nervousness from before, though it was true Data was still learning how to comprehend human body language.

"I hope it's no one dangerous," said Temp. 

"I doubt it, most people who do that are just poor or refugees."

"I doubt there would be refugees escaping a Starfleet engineering conference," Data pointed out. Celeste shrugged and turned away, looking at the rise of the stars as they moved through space. She rested her chin in her gloved hand and didn't turn back.

As everyone settled into the relaxing atmosphere, Data spoke in earnest to Temp. His Andorian companion seemed happy that Data was taking Temp's mind off of his fear. Celeste, however, had taken over some of the human scientist's nervous energy and in the midst of a detailed conversation on modern Federation engines, had stood and swept past Data and left. He wondered where she had gone, but saw no reason to check.

Eventually, after watching his new companions eat dinner and settle in, Data left them to their sleep and began mentally cataloging all the things he intended to tell Geordi once he was back on the Enterprise.

-

If Data had been running his sleep program, he was sure the shrill scream that broke through everyone's hazy relaxation would have woken him as well. He stood at once, duty as a Starfleet officer kicking in before his servos had even recognized a problem.

They had been moving at sub-light for the better part of three hours, and in that time Celeste had left twice and come back. Maalkia and Temp were looking up and down the aisles for the source of the commotion. Three of the shuttle concierges appeared from somewhere and shuffled down the long hallway between the seats, in the direction of the scream. Data followed.

It didn't take long to find the source of the noise. The concierges had gone to the kitchen that sat between one of the passenger compartments and the engine room, where a woman was standing over the body, in hysterics. It was the man that Celeste had apparently had a problem with, torn nearly in half at the waist. The remnants of a phaser blast was on his shirt, burnt through to the skin until it had mottled, but whoever had killed him hadn't wanted to wait on a small phaser to do the job.

Weapons were prohibited but that didn't stop people from bringing them, Data remembered.

"Coming through, coming through!" said a voice behind them. A Betazoid man pushed his way through the small crowd that had formed at the front of the room. 

The concierges let him through. They moved as a group to attend to the woman who found the body. Data did not recognize her, nor did he recognize the Betazoid, but that was quickly amended.

"I am Detective Konoro, and I will be taking over this investigation." He gestured widely with his hands, nearly bumping them into Data several times. He had slick hair and was dressed in a rich black. 

"There isn't an investigation yet," Data pointed out. The Betazoid looked him up and down.

"I think it's up to me to determine that, don't you think?" he sneered.

Data opened his mouth and then closed it. He didn't know. He tilted his head. 

"I assume it is up to the captain of the _Han Xin_ ," he said. 

"Look, friend," said Konoro, puffing up, "I think you should leave this to the professionals. As in, me."

The woman who had found the body was still crying, though the concierges had managed to calm her somewhat. Detective Konoro looked at her and nodded.

"You knew the victim. I can sense it." He tapped his head in thought. "You're very upset that he's dead." 

"Yes," said the woman slowly. Her makeup was running and her hair was a mess. Her dress was stained with the dead man's blood. 

"You... were lovers?" the Betazoid ventured, nodding his head. The woman blanched.

"He was my brother you fool. Who are you?" she demanded.

Konoro looked sheepish. "Apologies, miss..."

"Amelia Boucher. This is-or was-my brother Etienne." She dabbed at her swollen eyes.

The name rang a bell in Data's mind.

"The Bouchers. You own this vessel, do you not?" he said.

Amelia nodded. "Finally, someone with half a wit. Yes, we do."

"Ah, yes. I should have realized," Konoro broke in. "Perhaps you'd like to tell me your whereabouts after the ship took off?"

Amelia sniffed, looking angry even beneath her tears. "We have a personal room near the cockpit. We were there for most of the day. Etienne had gotten hungry and went to speak to the chef, and when he didn't return I went to find him." She dabbed her eyes again. "I found him like...like _this_." She started sobbing again and one of the concierges dragged her away from Konoro, looking at the Betazoid with malice.

After that, the body was also taken away, leaving Data alone with Konoro.

"Yes, yes, of course," said Konoro. His black eyes darted about the room as though clues would jump out at him. "This is perfect," he mumbled, smiling to himself.

"A man is dead," Data pointed out. This earned him a glare from the Betazoid, but if Konoro intended to argue, they were interrupted. 

"I'm sorry, sirs," said one of the shuttle attendants, who'd returned to the room after taking Etienne away. "Due to what's happened, we need everyone to return to their seats."

"Fool! You have a murder on your hands. I demand to speak to the captain. I will have this solved in a day!" said Konoro. His face was red. The attendant looked bored and very tired at the detective's outburst. The attendant escorted Data to his seat. He wondered whether Konoro would be allowed to speak to the captain or if they would simply ignore him. He thought of Amelia and Etienne and the way the body had nearly been torn to pieces. 

When he sat down, Celeste and Temp stopped talking to one another.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"Someone is dead," he said, simply. "Perhaps we should find out why."

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah I started something else after posting one chapter of One Creature's Torment. Unfortunately my life is too wishy washy for consistency haha. Feedback always appreciated!


End file.
